MR R. A. PROCTOR IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2082, 26 October 1880, Page 3

MR R. A. PROCTOR IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Last evening the capacity of the Oddfellows’ Hall was tested to the utmost, when Mr B. A. Proctor, a gentleman whose fame has preceded him, gave the first of his series of lectures on astronomy. Hot only was the body of the hall closely packed, but the stage also, and numbers were unable to obtain admission. The Synod adjourned at an early hour in order to allow of its members being present, as also did the City Council. Mr Proctor has one very great specialty, vz, the power of imparting knowledge in a familiar and ready manner. There is no affectation of what may bo called scientific jargon in his discourses. He reasons out in plain and unvarnished language tbe propositions he advances and proves conclusively and in a most forcible manner all the theories that he propounds. Indeed it is hardly right to call them theories, because Mr Proctor invites his audience to consider with him the evidence ho lays before them of the existence of what he desires to discuss, and he really acts as it were more in the capacity of a Judge summing up evidence to a jury than an advocate endeavoring to press his view of a certain state of facts upon their minds. Added to this, Mr Proctor undoubtedly displays a perfect acquaintance and familiarity with his subject. Ho clothes his ideas in such language as most accurately conveys to his hearers the state of facts, and enables them to follow him through the most remote paths of astronomical science without hesitancy or weariness. His illustrations are apt and practical; his conclusions drawn after having weighed, as it were, in the face of his auditory the whole of the facts for and against them, and added to this his delivery throughout is of that colloquial or conversational character as not to require too great a strain on the mind to follow and understand what he is speaking of The subject of Mr Proctor’s opening lecture was the “Lite and Death of a World,” and it was bandied throughout in a masterly manner. After briefly referring to the original ideas of the anoients with regard to the development of the earth we inhabit, ho went on to say that the progress of science had enabled us to discover and accurately fix, not alone the development of our world, but the growth, decadence, and death of planets. There were five stages of lifa ’or existence of the planets, a preliminary or gaseous one, then youth, then middle age, then decadence, and finally death. In tbe first two stages it was impossible for life to exist, as water would not rest on a heated surface. Mr Proctor then proceeded to describe how, by washing down of the soil from the mountains and by the settlement and molting; of snow, continents and rivers were formed, and instanced the flat country between Dunedin and Christchurch, stretching from the mountains to the sea, as an example of what he meant. The rounded stones that were to be seen on the plains proved conclusively that the whole of this part of tbe country had been under water, the peculiar shape of the stones being due to the action of the great waves. So science had been forced to the conclusion that probably millions of years had elapsed in the formation of the crust of the earth as it now existed. Dr. Oroll of Glasgow had put it down at one hundred millions of years, whilst Dr. Thomson made it seme twenty millions. However this might be, science could not escape this fact that millions of years must have elapsed ere the earth, assumed its present shape. This was the middle age of a world. The next period, that of decadence, was then touched upon by Mr Proctor, and reference made to Newton’s “ Principia,” in which it was stated that gradually, as tbe earth grew older, so would the sea and water upon it gradually disappear. This would take place very slowly, but the time would come when through cavities the sea and water would be gradually absorbed, and no more sea would exist. The first diminution of water would mark the period of old age, and when the last trace of water disappeared then would come death, because no created thing that we were acquainted with could live under such a state of things. Mr Proctor then, having as it were stated his premises regarding our planet, proceeded to apply his remarks to the other planets, contrasting them under the several heads of youth, middle age, decadence and death. This portion of his lecture was illustrated by some beautiful pictures of the sun, moon, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, &c., exhibited by the oxyhydrogen light. The sun was chosen as the representative of the first stage, the state of that planet being dilated upon in eloquent terms by Mr Proctor, The .next stage was represented by Saturn and Jupiter, and then came the decadence, illustrated by Mars Here was then the gradual absorption of the sea leading the way to the pictures of solitude, desolation, and death in the silent, airless wastes of the moon. These pictures were commented 1 on and explained most thoroughly and completely. The vigour, life, and, as it were, youthful energy displayed in the planets of tbe sun and Saturn were contrasted with the gradual decay and utter lifelessness manifest in the moon. The two pictures of the lunar mountains and vast plains of the moon, together with the charts of the stars, were really beautiful, and formed no inconsiderable "part of the wonderful attractiveness of the lecture. Mr Proctor concluded his lecture by reciting the grand rendering of Paul Eichter’s dream, put in prose by De Quincey, descriptive of a human being going forth with an angel to witness the wonderful works of the Creator, and the dismay which filled his soul at the immensity, illimitable, and unfathomable number of the worlds, so much so that the question wao asked— “ Is there no end to the works of God P” to which the answer was given, “No, none.” This highly dramatic piece was admirably given by Mr Proctor, and formed a fitting peroration to one of the greatest intellectual treats ever afforded to us here, one, too, which was listened to with rapt attention from its commencement to the close, only broken by enthusiastic applause. To-night Mr Proctor will give the second of his series, “ The Moon, our Companion Planet.” To-morrow evening, by special desire, “ The Life and Death of a World ” will be repeated, when arrangements have been made for a special train, leaving Christchurch for Lyttelton at 10.15 p.m. As the course-ticket holders will not be present that evening, this will afford an opportunity to those who wore unable to hear the lecture last night.